What’s the good news, ladies? Summertime!

It’s officially summertime!  With many COVID restrictions lifting around the country, it truly feels like we are going to have a real summer this year!  We have been back in our office for about a year now, but we were the only company on our floor in NYC until March 2021!  It’s been great to see more faces and things getting back to normal, but I must say, it was kinda nice to have our massive city seem like a smaller town for a while and enjoying the cleanliness of our floor.  We keep threatening to hang signs saying “Your mother doesn’t live here, clean up your mess” since it seems that some people lost their manners while quarantining for the past 15+ months.  Back to reality…

One of the things we’ve been noticing coming out of COVID are some interesting new companies that have popped up or evolved during this past year.  A few months ago, I was approached by Jacinta Mathis, the VP of Growth and fellow Mizzou grad (MIZ!) at Wagmo. She, in turn, introduced me to the two rock star founders of that company, Christie and Ali.  Check out how these ladies have been thriving during these nutty times!

Christie Horvath, CEO, Wagmo

“While there are plenty of product-related milestones to celebrate, I take the most pride in the team I’ve built. Hiring and developing the team has been the most challenging but rewarding aspect of my founder journey to date. I’ve had to hone my leadership style and acknowledge my weaknesses in order to effectively hire to supplement my gaps.

It’s an incredibly empowering thing to be able to choose who you work with every day. There’s nothing more energizing and inspiring than finding brilliant and passionate people who want to work alongside me to bring Wagmo to life.”

Ali Foxworth, COO, Wagmo

“Prior to Wagmo, if you told me that I’d be able to create an accessible pet insurance companyfrom the ground up, I probably wouldn’t have believed it. I’ve grown as an insurance expert and I’m tremendously proud of what I have accomplished with our amazing team.

I have been able to become a licensed P&C broker/agent in all 50 states while effectively building the appropriate regulatory and financial foundation to push growth for our pet wellness company. What I’ve built with my co-founder and team, at times with little to no resources, reminds me that the potential is limitless, especially when it comes to keeping our furry friends healthy. I’ve become comfortable with ambiguity and learned that in time, what I don’t know can become my superpower.”

Raise your hand if you are going to the BenefitsPRO Broker Expo!  I’m excited to host the Fast & Furious session again and am stacking the deck with an incredible judging panel of Wonder Women!  As always, make sure you connect me to other industry rock stars by dropping me a line at scombs@combsandco.com. Hope to see you in Cali in August!